Interior Secretary Ken Salazar apologized Wednesday for threatening to punch a reporter who asked him about problems with the government’s wild horse program at a campaign event. Mr. Salazar called Dave Philipps, a reporter with The Gazette of Colorado Springs, to apologize and offer him an interview. The apology came a day after the newspaper posted an audio recording of Mr. Salazar’s Election Day comments, in which he accuses Mr. Philipps of setting him up by asking about a horse slaughter proponent who has bought hundreds of wild horses. Mr. Salazar tells the reporter, “If you do that to me again, I’ll punch you out.” Mr. Salazar at first simply said that he regretted the exchange. But the newspaper called on him to apologize.